Market Development Officer

Job Purpose Statement

The purpose of this job is to supervise a team of Painter Representatives (Contingent Work Force) to enroll, engage and build preference, advocacy and loyalty for AkzoNobel products amongst painters in the defined geography. Ensure painter engagement leads to offtakes from SSOs in the defined geography and meets offtake norms and utilise the relationship with painters to win a fair share in the medium and small projects led by them and serviced via SSOs in the defined geography while remaining within the discounts and rebates budget of the SSO team for the geography. Ensure adherence to all defined processes and usage of tools by self and the team and deliver defined productivity norms – active painters, painter programme offtake volume as percentage of sell-in/sell-out volume and volume from Medium and Small projects via SSOs. Build awareness of AkzoNobel products with painters through regular painter meets/training, Best-By-Test shop meets and joint business development of Medium and Small projects in the defined geography. Ensure Painter Representatives are well trained on products and painter engagement

Accountabilities

Deliver offtake volumes with defined painter engagement programme - Deliver desired offtake to help drive sell-out and sell-in

Awareness and activation - Execute contact programmes with painters to build awareness and confidence in products and services 

Deliver offtake KPIs - Leverage the loyalty program and participation of painters to drive sell-out and sell-in

Engage, build skills and capability of team - A capable painter engagement team to drive robust painter engagement

Plan, review and take gap closing actions - Robust PDR process to track performance, identify gaps and implement/seek help to implement gap-closing actions 

Major Challenges

1. Moving from an individual contributor to a people manager – even though people are not AkzoNobel FTE
2. Understanding painter behaviour and ensuring engagement using defined programmes
3. Collaborating with TO and RSM/ASM (IN) for pricing of Medium and Small projects serviced through SSO managed by painters in the AkzoNobel engagement programme
4. Driving adherence to processes and usage of tools by the Painter Reps

Skills and Knowledge

• University degree with 4 - 6 years of sales experience in a manufacturing company
• Prior sales experience is mandatory and experience handling Appliances, Lubricants, Construction materials or similar will be an advantage
• Should have the ability to lead and train an indirect team of people
• A strong demonstration of execution skills in previous roles will be an advantage
• Ability to use Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint and Word)
• Clear communication skills (written and verbal communication skills) and good interpersonal and influencing skills
• Willing to relocate within the country will be an advantage